The Labor enquirer., 1887-09-17
The lAlea iihiiIB DENVER. COLORADO, S!I|

alienahls rights. " Aim q ~ aSo1ll1da = :
system which oospel6 s,em'so ay ils1x
fellow creatures1Dr The ~ of Go1's s114 vi o1l
and permits mopopoliea 70 deprtse lsho9 a
lis natural opportunities ~ enployment,
thus filling the land with t5Anpsend ptupsru.
and bringing about an unnaiuial eompeai.
| tion, which tends TO reduce woe16 % SlAsva-
tion rates and to make the alIhpgoducer
the industrial slave ofthcse who grow rich
by his toll.
Holding, moreover. that the advantages
arising from social growth and improvement
belong TO society al large, We aim at the abol-
ition Of the system which M kessuch benAn-
cent inventions as the railroad and telegraph
means for the oppression Of the people and
the aggrandizement Of an arist0cracy OF
wealth and power.
We declare the truepurpose Of government
to be the maintenance OF that sacred right Of
property which gives 70 every one opportu-
nity to employ his labor and ser urity that he
shall enjoy its fruits; 70 prevent the strong
from expressing the weak and the unscrupu-
lous from robbing the honest; and 70 do for
the equal benefit o. allsuch things ~ can be
better done by organized society than by In
dividuals; and we aim at the abolition OF all
laws which give to any class Of citizens IN ad-
vantage. either judicial, financial, industrial
or political, that are not equally shared by
all others.
We call upon all who seek the emancipation
oflabor and who would make the American
Union and its component states democratic
commonwealths Of really free and independ-
ent citizens, to ignore all minor differences
and join with us in organizing great ma
tional paaty on this broal platform Of nat
ural right and equal justice.
We do not aim at securing any forced
equality in the distribution Of wealth, We
do not propose that the state shall attempt to
control production, conduct distribution, or
| in anywise interfere with the equal rights of
Others. Nor do we propose that the state
shall take possession of land and either work
IL or rent 1t out.
What We propose Is not the disturbing Of
any man in his holding or title, but by abol-
ishing alltaxes ON industry or its products
to leave to the producer the full fruits Of his
exertioD, and by taxation Of land values to
the exclusion of Improvements, to devote to
the common use those values which, arising
not from exertion of the individual, but from
growth of society, belong to the community
as whole. This Increased taxation Of land,
not according to its area, but according to its
value, must, while relieving working farmers
and small homestead owners OF the undue
burdens now imposed upon them, make it
improbable to hold land for speculation, and
thus throw open abundant opportunities for
the employment of labor and the building up
of homes.
While thus simplifying government, by
doing away with horde Of officials required
by the present system of taxntion, with its
incentives 10 fraud and corruption. we would
further promote tie ecommon veal and fur
ther secure equal rights ofall by placing un-
der public control such agencies as are in
their nature monopolies. We would have
our municipalities supply their inhabitants
with water, light and heat; we would have
the general government issuea money with
out the intervention Of banks; we would add
postal telegraph system and postal savings
banks to the postal service, and would as
sumo public control and ownership of those
iron roads which have become highways of
modern commerce.
While declaring the foregoing to be the fun
damental principles and aims of the United
Labor Party, and while conscious that no re-
form can give effectual and permanent relief
TO labor that does not involve legal recogni-
tion of equal rights to natural opportunities
navarfhalpca oc mo oc,,ro 0f
some of the evil effects of ignoring those
rights, favor such legislation as may tend to
reduce the hours of labor, to prevent employ
ment of children of tender years, to avoid
competition of convict labor with honest in
dustry, to secure sanitary inspection Of tene-
ments, factories and mines, and to put an
end TO the abuse ofthe conspiracy laws.
We desire also to simplify he procedure of
our courts, and diminish the expenses of le-
gal proceedings, that the poor may be placed
on an equality with the ricb, and the long
delays which now result in such scandalous
miscarriages of justice may be prevented:
and since the ballot is the only means by
which, in our republic, the redress Of political
and social grievances IL to be sought, we
especially and emphatically declare for the
adoption of what is known as the "Austra-
Ian system OF vOting,' in order that the
effectual secrecy Of the ballot and the relief
ofcandidates for public offices from the heavy
expenses now imposed upon them may pre-.
vent bribery and intimidation, do away with
the practical discrimination in favor of the
rich and the INSCRIPTIONS, and lessen the
pernicious influence Of money in politics.
In support of these aims we solicit the CO
operation Of all patriotic citizens who, sick
of the degradation Of politics, desire by con-
Fstitutional methods to establish justice, to
preserve liberty, to extend thespirit offrater-
nifty, and to elevate humanity.
THE KNIGHTS Or LABOR.